Wee Jeanie
by intoxmush
Summary: Bella has walked into the same coffee shop for the past three years. Today, she decided to mix things up. Oneshot. R & R welcome. All human.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight**

**Authors Note: I know it's not perfect and probably sometimes doesn't make any sense, but I had a need to write this. Feel free to criticize.**

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"Good morning Bella!"

"Good morning Alice"

Every morning, for the past two years, I walk into the same coffee shop on the end of my street. Every day, for the past two years, I take the 98 steps from my house to this little place that can barely fit 20 people. And every day, for the past two years, at 8 in the morning I am subjected to the same heart palpitations that occur when I touch that metal handle on the glass door.

Why?

Because of _her._

I look up, for the first time since I left my house, the Fork's winds affect still prevalent on my face and when I do, I see her crystal blue eyes. Every fucking day, she smiles at me when I walk in, behind the register or near the tables, it doesn't matter, because she is always there.

"Strong flat white, no sugar?" Alice asks as if it were a question.

She knows my order, it never changes, but she always has to make sure, I don't know why though, but I'd like to.

"You know it" I reply in line with the script that we've unconsciously built.

"I'll just let…" She continues, arching her back towards the coffee maker today.

But today, for just today, I decide to go improv.

"Actually, may I have the coffee here?" I ask, as if needing permission.

She pauses, scrunches her brow and then provides me with a genuine smile.

"Of course you can," she allows.

I throw a grateful smile and sit down at the empty aisle in front of a large window, all the while berating myself.

I have never spent more than five minutes here and right now, I cannot fathom what I'm supposed to do. I chastise myself for not bringing a book; I usually do, just to kill a few seconds whilst I'm waiting, it's also a great way to keep my eyes diverted. So instead, I stare at my hands awkwardly.

This coffee place was established three years ago and I have seen so many barristers, waitresses and chefs come and go. It used to be a record shop, plastic disks, mould and grungy teens, but now, the environment permeates of coffee beans, bacon and freshly baked foods. I came here on their first day of opening, to show my solidarity to my town and taste the coffee, being the coffee fiend that I am.

But now, my motives have changed.

I don't know much about Alice, the girl who works here. She's worked here for two years, she always has a smile on her face, she takes the time to say hi to me, even when she's inundated by customers, sometimes I feel as if she appraises me for my attire, she's enrapturing and, she makes my day.

I hear a glass clink on my table before I'm aware of it and I startle.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Alice says whilst pouring the water.

I look up at her and quickly look away, "It's ok, better you than a serial killer," I murmur, I pause and for some reason I continue.

"…Unless you _are_ a serial killer, to which I retract my statement." This is one of those out of body experiences, because surely I cannot be saying these things to her.

I hear a chuckle beside me and realize that _that_ is a pleasant sound.

"Well, you never know…" She replies with a half-shrug.

I look up at her and give something akin to a smirk, "You know, I'm going to be checking my coffee for any sharp objects."

She smiles at me with that damned smile and sets the jug down on my table, "You caught me; you know I would've gotten away with it too, if it weren't for your meddling."

At this, she quirks an eyebrow at me, I immediately know the sort-of reference and I can see a challenge when I see it.

Game on!

"You see that van over there?" I ask spontaneously, then point to a beaten down car across the road.

She looks over and nods her head.

"That's my Mystery Van" I articulate.

We both look at the car and clearly see the balding 30 something year old man, trying to start his engine.

I grimace at the sight, "That's Shaggy, here's really let himself go over the years," I comment.

At this, she bursts into laughter.

I smile, because I've made her laugh.

She scans her place of work and sighs; I was beginning to wonder when she was going to notice the influx of people.

"I'll be back with your coffee," she states.

I nod my head in understanding and she walks away to the customers.

I don't know if I've fallen for her, if it is a question than I suppose that is my answer. But there is something, some quality or qualities within her that I can't quantify, that I can't let go. And it is this that makes me compulsively return.

I'm reading too much into our short interactions I'm sure…and yet…

"Your coffee," she displays like a work of art.

I smile in gratitude, "Thank-you."

I make a show to check for any hidden objects and she laughs again.

"Drink your damn coffee," she demands and I can't help but laugh.

I put my hands up in a placating manner, "Yes Ms. Serial killer, though, if I have but one request, tell papa that I love him…and to not touch my stuff!"

She smirks, in what I'm assuming is a menacing manner, "And if I don't?"

I smirk back, "Then I'll haunt you."

Her stance goes akimbo, "You don't know where I live," she states matter-of-factly.

I give her an incredulous look, "Didn't you know? Serial killers and their victims have a bond."

Her eyes widen dramatically, "Well, I'm screwed"

"And not in the good way…" I finish.

Another laugh shared.

She smiles at me softly and I don't know if it's because we've found a kindred spirit in each other's lame antics or something else.

"Enjoy your coffee Bella." She states and then she glides to another table.

I nod my head, though I'm sure that she can't see me and drift off into my mind.

I think that we view people in dimensions.

When we first meet someone, that is the first dimension, we see them at face value; we take in their face, body structure and the way they talk (somewhat). But after that, after we've met them a few times, we see them in two dimension, we start to notice their peculiarities, their speech pattern, the inadequacies that they share with you own. This is when you start to see them as a real person. And then the third dimension, you notice how their eyes light up at a particular subject, how they brush their fringe when frustrated, that their "inadequacies" are their own and it is perfect, you see them and feel them as an individual.

And then comes the fourth dimension…

Whereby, they become entwined with your own reality, they are present in it and they will never leave that space. No matter how much you push them backwards or how much they try to fight it, they are there. Always.

Perhaps that is the reason why we make friends, so that they can break to the fourth wall.

I don't know which dimension Alice belongs to at the moment and I don't know which I want her to belong to, because she is of her own world. Her own dimension. Her own reality. Her own life.

All I know is that she is an absolute.

That is, when I see her every day, she makes me feel absolute.

And that is all really.

I take the last sips from my coffee cup, stand up and scan for Alice.

We make eye contact and I tilt my head in a gesture, I'm not sure what I'm trying to convey, but I do it anyway.

She smiles in response and waves.

I turn towards the exit.

I touch the cold metal of the door handle once more and walk out the door.

I glance at my watch.

It's not even 9am yet

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**If you're wondering about the title, that's the name of the coffee shop I frequented, every single day for the past three years. According to the owner, it was the name of a lullaby his grandmother used to sing to him as a child, so, if you have any idea of it. Please let me know!**

**There probably won't be a sequel, mostly because Bella is content where things lie with Alice. That and also, because this narrative is so closely linked to my own life, it has yet to find resolution. I'm a H.E.A person at heart, but, I know the realities of it.**

**Thanks for reading, favoring and reviewing.**


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